Your questions for Robin should continue to be sent to millersmailbag@racer.com We cannot guarantee we’ll publish all your questions and answers, but Robin will reply to you. And if you have a question about the technology side of racing, Robin will pass these on to Marshall Pruett and he will also answer here.

Q: Full disclosure: Rossi is my guy, so obviously I'm pretty excited about Watkins Glen. But being as objective as possible, that was a darn solid performance. We've been seeing solid performances of out of him all year. It doesn't matter if it's a road course or an oval, he's good on both. He's good in difficult conditions, and he's young. What more does he need to do to become one of the Newgardens or Dixons or Castroneves – one of the guys the big teams build around, instead of a guy that may or may not fall victim to Silly Season just because an engine supplier likes him? Is he even close, or are my hopes doomed to be dashed?

Zach, Wisconsin

RM: Well he's got a multi-year deal with Michael Andretti, and Honda loves him, so I'd say his future is looking very bright. I think a lot of us have been predicting a win for the past few months, because he's been so consistently quick and, to your point, he's been as impressive on ovals as road or street courses.

Q: It has been cool to see two young Americans (Newgarden and Rossi) start to establish themselves as the stars of IndyCar in the future. It's interesting to compare their emotions when they win: Newgarden is excited and bubbling over, Rossi is reserved and seemingly has emotion right there but controls it. How do you compare them, and do you think they are the stars of the future? To me, they both seem very likable, but in totally different ways. Also what happened to chief mechanics? Have they been replaced by engineers?

Paul, Indianapolis

RM: He's been driving an IndyCar for 33 races, so I'd say Rossi is certainly a star in the making, and coming to IndyCar was the best decision of his career. He and JoNew are at the opposite end of the spectrum out of the car, but both show tons of talent inside it. Of course there are still chief mechanics, but unlike the old days when there were no engineers and they had to do everything, now IndyCar teams are specialized, with mechanics working on certain areas of the car, engineers for shocks, engineers to set up the car, and race strategists.

Q: Do you think keeping Rossi as a driver was an important factor in Andretti Autosport sticking with Honda for the future? Sato is leaving, Marco is not doing much, and RHR is getting up there in age. Andretti having a young talented driver like Rossi on the team would thus be essential for continued future success. And while we're on the topic of Andretti Autosport, do you think (or do you know if) Michael Andretti is talking to Fernando Alonso about Sato's car that will be open after Sonoma? Alonso had another miserable day at Monza on Sunday, his F1 options look bleak to say the least, and he had a smile on his face in the post-race interview when asked if he would be in IndyCar in 2018. Not sure Alonso knows where he'll be next year, but as time goes on, the possibility of him being in IndyCar looks to be getting better.

Stephen, Florida

RM: It was certainly a strong bargaining point, and Rossi was going to stay a Honda driver even if Michael went to Chevrolet. Marshall Pruett did a story with Zak Brown recently about "Fred" and didn't sound optimistic that he's coming to IndyCar full-time in 2018. He has some unfinished business in F1, but the key is getting a competitive ride at his age with only a couple choices – and those seats look to be filled.

Q: Well that is certainly a great way to show you are one of Honda's top guys: stand on the top step of the podium. Outstanding for Alexander Rossi. Is Bryan Herta Autosport out of the picture now? I haven't seen his name mentioned since Rossi re-signed with Andretti.

Lawrence, Florida

RM: Not at all. Bryan moved to Marco's pit box to be his strategist/cheerleader/shrink, but Rossi remains his team under Michael's umbrella. Before the engine decision was made official, I asked Bryan if he was a Rossi guy, a Honda guy or an Andretti guy, and he said: "Andretti." And his next big step with be with son Colton, likely in 2019.

Q: Robin, you called it: it was only a matter of time before Alexander Rossi would win another race! And what a fantastic race it was, it held my interest from the get-go! I was on my feet for the last 12 laps, rooting Alexander on! Props to Alexander, what a drive, beating Mr. Watkins Glen! Props to Brian Herta and Michael as well for re-upping with Honda, and getting NAPA to extend, just in the nick of time. NAPA has to be over the moon with the exposure it got on Sunday. Tell me something. The victor's laurel wreath – was that newly brought back this year, reviving the tradition, or had it been done in prior years, and I just didn't notice it before? Saw a brief video posted on Rossi's Twitter page of him celebrating at Seneca Lodge on Sunday night, hanging his laurel wreath on a moose's antlers on the wall! Any idea about the crowd?

Tony Mezzacca, Madison, NJ

RM: It was hardly a shock, because Rossi has been so strong at so many tracks this season, and it was only a matter of time. Can't recall at wreath anywhere else, so maybe it's a Watkins Glen/F1 thing that's been reinstated. Impossible to call the crowd, but pre-race sales were under 10,000 so it was pretty disappointing.

Q: I just watched Newgarden throw his championship away, and can't help but think of shades of two years ago when Montoya lost the championship more than Dixon won it. I don't mean to discredit Dixon, but he sure seems to have that golden horseshoe. Karam got him the yellow he needed at Mid-Ohio two years ago, Kanaan got him the yellow he needed at Toronto this year, and now Newgarden makes an uncharacteristic error. All that being said, remind me why we need double points at Sonoma again? It looks like we'd be getting a great championship fight there even without them. I really hope they finally get rid of them next season. I also can't help but think that those double points are also what forced the uncharacteristic errors by Newgarden at Watkins Glen, and Montoya at Sonoma two years ago.

Mark W., PA

RM: Well, Dixie caught a bad break in the season opener at St. Pete with a caution that prevented him from winning, and then he was running among the leaders at Indy and got launched by a back-marker through no fault of his own, so I'd hardly say 2017 has been a golden horseshoe. But I hate double points, especially for the last race at a track you almost can't pass on, and it's ludicrous because IndyCar's championship usually comes down to the last race without any gimmicks.

Q: Do you think Dixie ever gets frustrated with his teammates for underperforming? I mean TK, Mad Max and Kimball are nothing compared to him, and CGR is not a powerhouse team like Team Penske. If it had the right drivers it could, but Penske has four drivers in contention every weekend, while CGR has one, sometimes two (except Indy, where all four were very good). Do you think Dixon ever gets mad and frustrated with his teammates, especially with what Penske is right now?

Samuel Joachim

RM: I don't think Dixie gets too worked up about anything, because he's always under control and understands the emotional swings of racing. I mean, does his wish that one of his teammates was in the mix and taking points away from Penske? Sure, but he knows they're trying, and I cannot imagine him ever saying anything derogatory. He's too classy. And I think he rather fancies taking on Team Penske every season.

Q: As a fan of open-wheel racing, especially at my home track Watkins Glen, I truly fear the loss of this race due to low attendance. Sunday's race, with Rossi showing his true potential, was a gem. Even factoring in the weather, I was appalled to see how few race fans showed up to watch, and from the aerial shots, the camping areas looked barren. I believe this comes down to several factors.

Date: Having the race on Labor Day and just a couple of weeks after the NASCAR race is poor planning at best.

Cost: Charging almost $500 to pitch a tent is insane. True race fans want to be there for as much of the weekend as possible, and the town accommodations are either priced to match the track, and/or far and few between, unless you want to stay 20 to 30 miles away.

Amenities: For the second year, the food and beverage stands were ill-suited to handle what few fans there were. Although each kiosk had several service windows and what appeared to be plenty of staff inside, not one that I visited had more than one window open, resulting in long waits.

Support: Indy Lights (great wet race) notwithstanding, you would think a world-class series charging world-class prices could do better than Stadium Super Trucks running a few laps single file, on a track that couldn't be less suited for those vehicles.

I really appreciate yours and Marshall's insight, and would like to know if I'm the only one complaining. Should I be concerned over the loss of Indy at Watkins?

Greg Lane, Rochester, NY

RM: I think you are right in that Labor Day is a terrible weekend to have the race, and it's way too soon after NASCAR packs the joint. Obviously the weather was dreadful on Sunday so that didn't help, but the pre-sales were awful so it wasn't that big a deal. And I do think we should all be concerned that next year might be it for one of the great racetracks in North America and IndyCar, unless some drastic moves are made – like changing the date, and promoting the hell out of the race.

Q: Someone complained recently about $80 being too much to get in at The Glen. It's not. Your ticket comes with paddock access and GA grandstand seating, so it compares very favorably to all the other road courses. I'll use Mid-Ohio as my example. To get a like-for-like experience at Mid-Ohio, meaning roll up on race day, get a grandstand seat, and get paddock access, it'll cost you... $100. It's not even as good, because there are only two rather small grandstands in the back corner of the circuit. At Watkins Glen, you can roam freely from grandstand to grandstand, and see many different parts of the track, from a seat. You can sit on either side of the pit straight, so pit stops and the start/finish line are viewable from a grandstand seat if you choose. There's no other road course that offers so many different sections of GA grandstand seating, period.

Another thing is attendance. Watkins Glen had 10-12,000 people last year, and it looked like that again this year – possibly a little bigger. That's roughly the crowd Toronto, Detroit, Mid-Ohio, Barber, and St. Pete gets. If it's less, it's not too far off of those places. The crowd looks small because The Glen is so much larger and has a lot more grandstands than the aforementioned places. I'll add that more concession stands were open, and a big screen monitor was in Turn 1 this year. A good improvement from last year. Was Mr. Printup happy with the turnout, especially considering the miserable forecast? We're already planning for next year.

Eric Zwirlein, Lancaster, NY

RM: Appreciate your support of IndyCar and your observations about pricing, but Mid-Ohio and Barber draw much bigger crowds than Detroit, St. Pete or Toronto. I saw Michael on race morning and he was a little grim-faced, as you can imagine, but I did think there was more people than expected, considering the frigid weather had to kill the walk-up.

Q: Why did Race Control decide to make the drivers start on rain tires at The Glen when clearly 90 percent of the track was gray? I am assuming for driver safety, but it created a situation where most of the field pitted at the same time and created an even more dangerous and chaotic situation in the pits for drivers and mechanics alike. If you leave the decision to the drivers, clearly they'll choose to start the race on slicks. Also, I'm positive IndyCar has access to the same weather radar I do, and the rain had clearly left the area, and no rain was expected for at least the first half of the race. So what gives?

Rob Cupps, Winchester, VA

RM: Over to Brian Barnhart:

"We told the teams we would make the decision about 10 minutes before the start command. We dispatched Sarah Fisher and Mario Andretti for a recon lap to make the determination. Their input was that it was "50/50", with a couple of spots that were concerning to them. Those areas were a small river running across the track between Turns 6-7, up the hill from Turn 8 to Turn 9, and the exit of Turn 9. They recommended a wet start be declared based on concern for those areas. From Race Control, we could see the surface improving rapidly, but agreed in the best interest of being on the conservative side. We informed the teams, and also told them they would likely be off of the wets within a lap or two. Once they were on dry tires, the concern was shown at the exit of Turn 9 where Pigot spun, and that was the worst area of the track. Starting on wet tires puts the responsibility in the hands of the driver and team to decide when they want to go to slicks, and is the safest option."

Q: Great race at The Glen, at least from on the ground – don't know how it played on TV. There were actually a lot more folks there than I expected, given the weather. It's too bad that main grandstand isn't the best place to sit (for anything other than watching pit stops) because all the other seating looked a lot better. Hard to know the crowd numbers because of all the campers – any idea? Also glad there were a few Jumbotrons in place this year, though they could use a few more.

I still say ISC and/or IndyCar needs a much better push with community events in Syracuse/Rochester/Buffalo if they want to increase on-site attendance. There just aren't any large towns nearby to swell the gate. And there was no PR that I could find locally, though I heard they ran a few 15-second spots, which I didn't see. Beautiful setting, a near-perfect facility... what a shame if they don't keep WG on the schedule just through a lack of awareness. I did my part and brought another newbie who was quite impressed! Oh yeah... great display by Rossi!

Steve C., Ithaca, NY

RM: It was so miserable on Sunday morning I figured they'd be lucky to have 5,000 people, and it's impossible to give a figure, but there seemed to be more campers than 2016, and a few more hearty souls sitting in Turn 1 than I could imagine. I think IndyCar and The Glen split the promotion, but clearly it needs to be better in the outlying areas, according to the locals I spoke with. Yes, beating Dixon for the pole and then holding him off for the win is about as impressive as it gets.

Q: Watkins Glen put on a great event, I had a great time! It was much better than last year, with many more concession stands, TV screens, etc. But is there any talk of adding 10 or 20 more laps due to how high of speeds they run, or am I just too used to seeing 500-milers at Indy and Pocono? Do you see a need for more laps?

Matt from Philly

RM: I haven't heard anyone talk about adding laps. I guess one hour and 42 minutes might have seemed short, but maybe it's because there were only nine laps of caution. Personally, 90 minutes to two hours is about the perfect distance for anything but Indianapolis, so I see no need to add any laps. And the fuel windows worked out fine, so nobody stole anything.

Q: Why were the Penskes so much slower on the straights at Watkins Glen? Had all four cars been set up for a full wet race, or were the Hondas just that much stronger? Saw numerous instances of Hondas overtaking Penskes, but other than HCN on reds passing Rossi on blacks early in the race, I don't remember any the other way around. Really enjoy your "grid jogs."

New Track Record, Michigan

RM: Three of the four said they had too much downforce and that made them sitting ducks on the straightaway, so Helio must have gone a different direction. And he held Rossi off when he was on reds, so that probably helped make up for the straightline speed deficit. Sadly, they're supposed to be "grid sprints" but I'm almost 68 and do a 14-second 40.

Q: I was surprised to hear in your recent video that you thought there was a chance Ganassi could go down to two cars next season. It is no secret that Scott Dixon will probably be the only driver returning to the team. Brendon Hartley seems to be one of the top picks for possibly the only open seat next year. I would hope a WEC champion and a winner of the 24 Hours of Le Mans could get some sponsorship to make it to IndyCar. After a season or two, he could develop into a serious threat for the championship.

The other two seats seem to be up in the air. Both Esteban Gutierrez and Sebastian Saavedra would be a great fit for the other two seats. Both of them come with a majority of the budget like Chilton and Kimball. Gutierrez has shown that he deserves to be full-time, and would be a perfect fit to take Chilton's spot since they both had an F1 background. Saavedra has already been with the team in 2015, so he knows the culture at Ganassi, and he has performed well this year. What do you think the chances of a Dixon, Hartley, Gutierrez, and Saavedra lineup are at Ganassi next season?

Fredrick Adam

RM: Marshall sniffed out the Hartley possibility and it seems legit but all I know for sure right now is Dixie doesn't have a sponsor yet, and the No.10 car will be sponsored by NTT Data. Chip told me last week he might only run two cars and not have any buy-a-riders in 2018, but I imagine if Gutierrez might be able to change his mind with enough money. I don't think Saavedra is in the frame.

Q: After Ganassi parked Tony Kanaan at Gateway and you reported that Kanaan and Chilton will not be back next year, it got me to thinking: is Chip going to make a play for Fernando Alonso? We know he can't pay F1 prices, but Fernando doesn't need a king's ransom – he is pretty well-set financially. I don't think sponsors would be hard to find for that program – Chip may even have to turn some away – plus with the best racer around in Dixon as a teammate and tutor, we could be treated to a new Super Team. We know Fernando wants to be with a winning team again, and the only time I have seen him happy at a race track this year was at Indy. What have you heard? If nothing else, it makes for a good rumor.

Dave Lake, Ft. Wayne, IN

RM: I'm pretty sure Chip was given first crack at running Alonso last May and declined, but that could have been more of not wanting to run five cars. I just don't think Alonso is coming here full-time, but I suppose that could all change if he's got nothing appetizing over there in F1 or sports cars. But I think it's more the fans' hoping it happens.

Q: So, was Michael Andretti playing chicken with Sato? Did he hold out on signing with Honda to see if Sato would jump ship and leave a seat open to see if Alonso will make the move across the pond to IndyCar? It seems that all of the stars are lined up: Andretti signed with Honda, seat left open with Sato's move to RLL, and Alonso could be free to make the move after getting a taste in the 500 in an Andretti seat. What's your thought?

Tony Piergallini, Steubenville, Ohio

RM: I'm not exactly sure why Takuma went to RLL, but my best guess is that he simply got tire of waiting on Michael to announce anything so he went with a Honda team he knows and likes. And a lot of people thought maybe Michael was just holding off until Alonso made his move, but according to Marshall's story with Zak Brown, that doesn't sound likely.

Q: You're probably sick of the Alonso speculation questions, but he was so brilliant at Indy in May and seemed to genuinely enjoy his time here. So here goes: The top three F1 teams are set driver-wise next year. Michael Andretti returns with Honda power. Alonso takes a year sabbatical from Formula 1 and races IndyCar full time next year alongside Alexander Rossi, RHR and Marco as Honda pays his deal.

Brandon Stevens

RM: He did enjoy his time here, but I don't think he wants to leave F1 on a five-year losing streak or having such a bad taste in his mouth.

Q: Silly Season is in full swing, with lots of movements and whispers of movements to come. But one of the big ones seems to have gone a little quiet lately, and that's the Helio-‎to-IMSA talk. I understand that Penske doesn't want to distract from what is still a possible IndyCar championship season for Castroneves, but I had kind of assumed the switch was a foregone conclusion. However, Helio's obvious disappointment at the thought of leaving open-wheel racing, coupled with a ‎rumor about him actually speaking to other teams about the potential of staying in IndyCar, have made me wonder: will 2017 be the last full-time IndyCar Season for Helio Castroneves?

Jason McVeigh, Northern Ireland

RM: Let's put it this way. When RACER broke the story back in early July, I told Helio I'd heard The Captain wanted him in the new Honda sports car team with the Indy 500 as his lone IndyCar race. He said he had a contract with Roger for 2018, but wasn't sure where. I asked Tim Cindric and he said he'd heard the same thing, but they never announced next year's plans until the season was over. And then after Castroneves won Iowa, I asked R.P. on NBCSN if it was going to make his decision harder if Helio won the title ,and he said there's a lot of speculation, they still had a big season to finish, and he didn't announce next year's plans until this season was over. But nobody has ever denied it. Cindric said a couple weeks ago: "We have a plan, just be patient." So, yes, I do think this is Helio's last full season in an IndyCar and, like I wrote, I hope I'm wrong because he is driving brilliantly.

Q: Assuming that Penske goes to a thee-car lineup for 2018 (and Helio shifts to the DPi program), what will Roger Penske be doing on IndyCar race day? Still call strategy for one of the other guys, or leave the teams as they are and spend 2018 more focused on the DPi program? Would he return to call Helio's strategy for Indy (assuming that Helio would be back for Indy in 2018)?

Brent from Maryland

RM: I've heard he will call Will Power's races and, yes, I think Castroneves still gets to run Indy in 2018 but probably not JPM (sadly).

Q: Would you please explain the points system? It gets talked about a lot, but I don't recall ever seeing any explanation of it.

Danny, Indianapolis

RM: The normal race points are 50-40-35-32-30-28-26-24-22-20-19-18-17-16-15-14-13-12-11-10-9-8 for 22 starters, with two points for leading the most laps, one point for leading one lap and one point for winning the pole position. And, of course, then there's the asinine qualifying points at Indianapolis where the pole-sitter earns 42 and they decrease in two-point increments down to the Top 10. Then it's 23 for 11th fastest, with a one-point decrease all the way to 33rd.

Q: Been a fan of yours for a while, and I have a tremendous respect for your opinions on IndyCar. I just discovered RACER magazine and the Mailbag, and I look forward to reading it every week. I had a couple of questions for you. Will Tony Kanaan be back for a full season next year, or just a one-off for the Indy 500? If he'll be back for the year, will it be at Ganassi? We're big fans of Conor Daly, especially after getting a chance to meet him here locally. He seems to be a great ambassador for IndyCar and all the young drivers. It's been a tough year for him, with just a few bright spots, and I hope he keeps his ride with Foyt Racing – any worries that he won't be asked to return? Finally, we go to the 500 every year, and it may be my favorite day of the entire year. We watch five or six races on TV every season as well. We've decided to make it a priority next year to go to another oval race – what's your favorite track and race to attend within driving distance to Indy?

Greg Trainor, Westfield, IN

RM: Thanks for the kind words, and for reading RACER. T.K. will be back full-time but he's keeping it a secret for now, although SPM, Andretti and Foyt would seem to be the logical teams. ABC Supply loves Daly and he's shown to be a good little racer, he just needs a veteran teammate to help him qualifying better. Gateway is only three hours from Indy, and should be even better next year with the new aero kits.

Q: Now that Andretti Autosport has committed to Honda, and Takuma Sato has agreed with Rahal Letterman Lanigan, wouldn't you agree this presents a perfect opportunity for Andretti to set itself up as the poster child for IndyCar? With Andretti, Hunter-Reay and Rossi, you have a core of top level American talent (even if Marco's results don't show it.) If Michael can add a third young hotshot American, they can brand themselves as Andretti All-American Autosport. It could certainly help with broadening the sponsorship options and creating a recognizable brand. Could you imagine Rossi flying around IMS at 230 mph with an Old Glory-wrapped livery?

People have been harping for years about the lack of American talent at the top. If there is another young American Newgarden-type out there, this could be a marketing dream – at least as far as that goes in the current state of IndyCar. Who, in your opinion, could that driver be? Colton Herta? Charlie Kimball could bring some dough with Novo Nordisk. Any other thoughts? Of course, the Honda thing wouldn't be wholly consistent with the All-American theme, but IndyCar isn't a form of racing where fans follow badges.

Scott R. Crivelli

RM: Well, Marshall and I wrote that Sato is going to RLL a couple weeks ago, although it hasn't been confirmed by Bobby Rahal or Sato (wink wink), but Michael has been the Gate Keeper for American drivers in all forms of open wheel. I think little Hertamania would fit in nicely to your scenario in 2019.

Q: What the heck is wrong with Kimball, and I don't just mean this last race, but all the other races where he seems to be more of a projectile waiting to hit some other random object than a race car driver. I am quite sure that if it wasn't for the sponsorship money he brings, he'd not have a ride in IndyCar – period. Yes, I know he won a race, but compared to all the rest of his outings, it's simply an anomaly. It's my understanding that he might not be with Ganassi next year – if he's not there, who's going to be doing the Novo Nordisk cash-grab this coming season?

Fred from Fishers, IN

RM: Charlie does seem to be a magnet for contact, but he's had some good drives this year, and I think he's simply driving harder than ever and he's not an easy out.

Q: Silly season is turning serious. With Honda reportedly interested in Porsche factory driver Brendon Hartley, it's been rumored that he may end up at Ganassi alongside Dixon. What about Penske's Acura prototype team – or is someone else already heavily favored to co-drive with Helio? How about the new teams? Harding is all-in, Juncos will get at least a few races, but what's the latest on Belardi? Or Carlin? I could well imagine Chilton is all but signed with him, and Felipe Nasr, who watched from the paddock this weekend, would be a good fit alongside Max. He drove for Trevor in British F3 and GP2, and he should have enough funding. And to answer your trivia question from the podcast about the reigning Indy 500 winner racing for a different team: the last one is Tony Kanaan winning for KV Racing in 2013, and signing with Chip the next year.

IndySteve in Redding, CA

RM: I don't know about RP's co-driver for the second Acura but Marshall undoubtedly does, and will let us all know soon. We reported over the weekend that Carlin is further along than ever before and ready to talk to engine manufacturers, so that's good (and makes me think Max Chilton is his driver). Juncos and Belardi need sponosorship, but Mike Shank will be back for Indy and maybe a couple other shows, and Harding is gung-ho for Gabby and possibly a second car.

Q: There's been a lot of talk earlier in the season about the greatness of Scott Dixon (no argument here), especially as he gets closer and closer to eclipsing Michael Andretti for third on the all-time win list. But I've been watching old IndyCar seasons between current races (started with '85, I'm up to Mid-Ohio '92) and I've begun to notice some striking similarities between Michael Andretti and Will Power. Power has 32 wins in 12 years, Andretti got there in 13. Both have one championship. Will has finished runner-up in the championship four times, Michael was second five times. Both are/were fast and a threat to win at any track on the calendar. Both have led but never won Indy, despite being fantastic oval racers and winning 500-milers at other places. I know IndyCar isn't what it once was and there's still a lot about the sport that's less than perfect, but we're definitely in one of the golden ages for driver talent, across the paddock.

Jake in CA

RM: It's certainly an observant comparison, because both loved to lead and go for the throat. Michael's Indy luck was as bad as Lloyd Ruby's but he was always worth the price of admission. He led 6,670 laps (third behind A.J. and his Dad) to show you how poor his luck was in or out of May, and only one title. Power has made himself a good oval-track racer, and Indy just barely eluded him in 2015.

Q: The 2018 silly season is here, but I have not heard a peep about R.C. Enerson. The few times I watched him race, I thought he might be a second JoNew. Is there a chance we will see this talented young driver, or is it all about money?

R. Miller, Bakersfield, CA

RM: It's all about money, and not sure he's got enough right now.

Q: All year we've seen drivers penalized for pit lane infractions. Could you tell me how Helio got away with completely crossing the pit exit line?

Mark, Niagara Falls, NY

RM: He crossed over the transponder and negated any penalty.

Q: In the last Mailbag you said that Pocono is too big for the MRTI series. I'm not exactly sure what you mean. After all, the Lights run Indy, and Gateway and Iowa (although smaller tracks, admittedly) run either Pro Mazda or USF2000 in addition to Lights. Are the cars not safe enough, is the track not safe enough, is it a reliability issue, can the cars not run at those sustained speeds without grenading, or is it something else I haven't thought of? Second: Over the last few months, there have been several news stories that broke in politics where there were disagreements about whether conversations were on the record or not. When you have a conversation, is it always considered on the record unless specifically stated otherwise at the start? What if someone tells you something, then says at the end it was off the record? Do you use your own judgement about what is on and off the record? I'm assuming it helps that you probably have a better rapport, or at least understanding, with the people you cover.

Tim Elder

RM: A dozen cars racing over two-and-a-half miles can get pretty strung out, but the real concern is the engines on those long straightaways. And it also takes a promoter willing to invest in your feeder series, and I'm not sure Pocono want Lights. I've been covering IndyCar racing for almost 50 years and I've broken a lot of stories because I've gained the trust of most of the people I cover. If somebody says it's off the record and you burn them, then you'll likely never get anything from them again. And most preface a call with "this is all off the record" or this part is "off the record" and it's part of the game. The best sources give you a direction but are never quoted.

Q: Watching the Gateway race on television, (you guys did a great job presenting, by the way), I started thinking, as I was watching Newgarden drive, that he was the next Rick Mears. I held that thought until he nerfed Simon out of the way and took the lead – which I thought was great racing. Just not sure Mears would have made that same move. Your thoughts on the comparison?

Andrew, Brighton, MI

RM: Rick was one of the smartest, most calculating drivers, and he never cared about leading until the end, while JoNew has a lot of Bobby Unser in him because he wants to get to the front ASAP, and is more aggressive than Mears at this stage of his career. Thanks for watching NBCSN.

Q: Apparently I missed something with the Gateway race. I thought it was a perfectly acceptable short oval race, but a lot of last week's questions involved a lot of disgruntled fans, which I thought was surprising. We had the snooze-fest that was Phoenix. We had a pack race at Texas that turned into a dumpster fire. I was at Iowa and it was fine, especially near the end when JR's strategy call was playing out. Indy was great, but it was also my first time (and Chilton is my dark horse favorite) so there was little that could have taken the smile off my face for that one. Is there anything IndyCar can do to win here? We need ovals because it creates a unique series that's a big marketing point, yet we don't like short ovals because they're boring, but we can't have pack races because they're too messy and expensive, especially if these new aero packages are as loosey-goosey as Montoya and Servia have been saying. Is there a trump card IndyCar can play?

Zach Keister

RM: I guess today's fan expects every race, oval or road-street course, to be a slam-bang photo finish with 500 passes. All I know is that the racing is tighter and better than ever before in terms of being close (and it should with spec cars and engines), but Gateway had more overtaking through the pack than I expected after practice on a newly-paved surface. IndyCar's best promotion is that it's the fastest, closest and most unpredictable series in North America.

Q: So Michigan International Speedway and Belle Isle "both existed quite nicely in the CART days." That's because Roger Penske owned MIS in the CART days. Somehow, Roger found a time that worked for IndyCar to race at his track. MIS is more or less owned by NASCAR now. I wonder why NASCAR can't find room in the MIS schedule for IndyCar? You make Belle Isle out to be the bad guy when it's NASCAR and/or the management in place at MIS that should shoulder at least some of the blame. Ovals and road/street racing are two very different beasts. I don't see any reason why both tracks can't be on the schedule if you put a few months in between. You could start summer on Belle Isle and end it at MIS. I think this would open up a few marketing opportunities for the Speedway. MIS could set up a ticket booth on Belle Isle during the race weekend and sell tickets to all the events that take place there besides the NASCAR races. IndyCar, Penske, Chevrolet and MIS should get together and make this work.

Tim Davis, Detroit, MI

RM: I don't blame Belle Isle for being on the schedule, it just has no business the week after Indianapolis. And I think if MIS wanted an IndyCar race it might get some resistance from The Captain, although I haven't heard much interest from ISC about IndyCar.

Q: Regarding the St. Louis race, I was thinking for most of the race that if I had paid to be there this year, I would settle for TV next year. You got a little cheerleader-ish emphasizing and reemphasizing the JoNew pass and some minimal restart passing action in the last Mailbag. Sorry, but I need more – a la Indy, Texas, Pocono. Gateway was not as bad as Phoenix, but both were largely oval snooze-fests, IMO. Finally, the IndyCar powers that be listened to popular opinion in designing beautiful new bodywork for 2018. Are constant, nearly universal cries for more horsepower and less downforce falling on deaf ears? Something needs to be done to make passing significantly more viable on street/road courses and short ovals, and to make lifting/braking an essential part of every race, including superspeedway races.

Less-Than-Impressed Steve

RM: I watched Juan Pablo Montoya lap everyone but second place at Gateway in 2000, and I've seen Mario and Al Unser Jr. lap the field at Long Beach, and Michael hold a two-lap lead at Indy before breaking down, so I'd say Gateway delivered a decent show with some dry spells but a bodacious pass for the win, and the people in the grandstands were thrilled. That's a winner in my book. And the new aero kits are designed to move the downforce from the top to the bottom with the hope of improving all of the racing on short ovals, street courses and road courses.

Q: While recently unpacking from moving into my new home, I ran across a copy of National Speed Sport News from August 1, 1984. I quickly realized why I had saved this copy, because of its headline: "CART co-founder Pat Patrick says Keep Indy Cars on Ovals." After attending the race at Gateway, what Mr. Patrick said in the '80s was spot-on. I haven't been to an oval with that kind of crowd (other than Indianapolis) since some of the great shows at the Milwaukee Mile in the '90s.

This event, on the heels of an outstanding race and improving crowd at Pocono, shows that the ovals are viable, when, a) given time to grow the event and date equity, and b) have a committed track owner with a marketing plan and a solid sponsor who is capable of activating the assets to build attendance. And while I am a total fan of Roger Penske as both a business owner and a sportsman and car owner, I really believe it's time, based on the success of Gateway, for someone at IndyCar to approach Roger with the idea of surrendering the date for that boring snoozefest called Belle Isle, and aggressively finding a promoter like Curtis Francois to get Milwaukee back on the calendar the week following the 500 to effectively leverage the excitement generated during May. Time for The Captain to look at what is better for the series than better for Detroit.

Jonny

RM: First off, it's great that Chevrolet has a home race and R.P. has done a nice job of cleaning up Belle Isle but, to your point, IndyCar loses all it's momentum going there a week after Indy, and The Captain has to know that. The Detroit promotion is just fine, probably better than most IndyCar races, but it's a tough product to sell on Indy's heels.

Q: Let me first thank you for the job you do keeping us open-wheel fans informed. My question for you revolves around Mark Miles' desire to grow international interest in the IndyCar Series. Has there been any discussions with representatives from Rockingham Speedway in England, and EuroSpeedway in Germany, respectively? Both had potential, but together with CART/Champ Car demise, Zanardi's horrific crash, and 9/11, they never were able to gain the momentum needed. Your thoughts?

Steve, Indianapolis, IN

RM: None to my knowledge, and Mark is interested in opening the season earlier, in a foreign country, and that would not work in January or February in England or Germany Both places drew nice crowds, but I can't see IndyCar going there in the summer, or even at the end of the season.

Q: I was watching the Monza qualifying, and during the rain delay they had a taped interview with Gene Haas. He was lamenting the fact that the top three cars were a second ahead, the next 10 cars were another second ahead of everyone else, and that basically there is no chance to win in F1. He stated that he was committed to F1, but said if you don't stand a chance to win, what's the use? (My words,not his). He has to be an intelligent individual – didn't he realize this going in? Or is he lobbying for new rules? I have to admit I couldn't believe what I just heard.

Craig Carpin, Reynoldsville, PA

RM: My pals and I laughed for 10 minutes after watching it. It's like he's either been in a coma for 30 years, or doesn't grasp reality real well. Or both.

Q: You sure were bundled up at Watkins! I'll be brief: the guys in the booth should be wearing NBCSN polo shirts. A suit and tie looks ridiculous for an IndyCar race. And they can't be comfortable.

Mike Talarico, Riverside, CA, home of no raceway

RM: P.T. loves dressing up, so that's why they do it. Naw, network television seems to think all booth announcers need a coat and tie to help sell the product as big-time.